Random Cool Photo Thread

[Enigma1938]

The soldier in the photo could have taken it from a German Prisoner and wore it as a captured item . Although that certainly would have made him a target of a German sniper or a reason to be shot if captured . I can’t substantiate the info but at one point I’ve heard that any American soldier carrying a Luger or a P.38 pistol and was taken prisoner was shot . I’m sure we did something similar.

Even it's not the most authentic war movie ever made, but in Fury they try to suggest many times that GI's took Clothing and Equipment from german prisoners or dead ones. The character played by Eastwood junior is wearing a cyclist jacket also, or the character "wagoneer" is wearing a charkow parka. Both jackets with bullet holes and battle damage....
Who knows what was up there in the last days of ww2 (in the ETO). I can only assume that regulations had not that importance in those days....

 

[B-Man2]

Even it's not the most authentic war movie ever made, but in Fury they try to suggest many times that GI's took Clothing and Equipment from german prisoners or dead ones. The character played by Eastwood junior is wearing a cyclist jacket also, or the character "wagoneer" is wearing a charkow parka. Both jackets with bullet holes and battle damage....
Who knows what was up there in the last days of ww2 (in the ETO). I can only assume that regulations had not that importance in those days....

Agree with you. For example I’ve read on more than one occasion that US Airborne troops and officers in the 101st didn’t have an issue with soldiers taking and wearing German parkas and anything that was warm off of captured and dead enemy soldiers at the Battle of the Bulge . It was so cold that guys just tried to stay warm with anything they could find.

 

[Enigma1938]

Agree with you. For example I’ve read on more than one occasion that US Airborne troops and officers in the 101st didn’t have an issue with soldiers taking and wearing German parkas and anything that was warm off of captured and dead enemy soldiers at the Battle of the Bulge . It was so cold that guys just tried to stay warm with anything they could find.

That makes totally sense!
Btw there are lots of original photos showing GI's wearing Charkow parkas

 

[Monsoon]

Agree with you. For example I’ve read on more than one occasion that US Airborne troops and officers in the 101st didn’t have an issue with soldiers taking and wearing German parkas and anything that was warm off of captured and dead enemy soldiers at the Battle of the Bulge . It was so cold that guys just tried to stay warm with anything they could find.

I think in NW Europe, the Brits captured a lot of German parkas and issued them to their troops, but only the guys out of the line in the rear.

 

[Kermit3D]

The soldier in the photo could have taken it from a German Prisoner and wore it as a captured item . Although that certainly would have made him a target of a German sniper or a reason to be shot if captured . I can’t substantiate the info but at one point I’ve heard that any American soldier carrying a Luger or a P.38 pistol and was taken prisoner was shot . I’m sure we did something similar.

Yes, it's quite possible, but this picture was taken in France, we tend to associate the cyclist jacket with Germans (pilots or even soldiers). We must not forget that it is a civilian jacket. Of course I don't have precise figures in my head, but the vast majority of cyclist jackets (maybe something like 95%) were simply worn by French civilians.
It is likely that this GI bought this jacket in France, or traded with a Frenchman.
I don't think a German soldier would specifically target a GI wearing a cyclist jacket because he wouldn't associate it with something worn by Germans.

Yes I've seen that picture, nice rare find!
There must have been something special with those jackets back then. French workers (and later resistance) loved them, Luftwaffe Staff loved them and obviously some Americans had also a interest in them. Surprisingly this style fell into oblivion for many decades after the fifties, I think it had to do with the general change of Fashion over the time, so hight waisted Pants vanished also....

Yes I agree, it's probably just a change in fashion that made these jackets fall into oblivion. Moreover today cyclist jackets are difficult to wear because pants are not high enough.

Even it's not the most authentic war movie ever made, but in Fury they try to suggest many times that GI's took Clothing and Equipment from german prisoners or dead ones. The character played by Eastwood junior is wearing a cyclist jacket also, or the character "wagoneer" is wearing a charkow parka. Both jackets with bullet holes and battle damage....
Who knows what was up there in the last days of ww2 (in the ETO). I can only assume that regulations had not that importance in those days....

Yes it's true ! I had forgotten this movie... The presence of this cyclist jacket is quite authentic (even if it is an ELC ). But it probably would have been traded/bought on the civilian market (even if the bullet holes suggest otherwise).
Honestly, it looks good:

 

[Shanghai-Mayne]

Clint Eastwood’s character get killed , that’s where those bullet holes come from.

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When his character is still alive, no bullet holes on the jacket

 

[B-Man2]

Those bullet holes look like the wardrobe dept put them into the jacket with a paper hole puncher. It’s Scott Eastwood.

 

[Shanghai-Mayne]

Ah, yes, bet I like Clint more …

 

[Enigma1938]

Clint Eastwood’s character get killed , that’s where those bullet holes come from.

View attachment 102617

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When his character is still alive, no bullet holes on the jacket
View attachment 102619

There's another interesting thing on the lower photo. It is suggested that Eastwood’s jacket is indeed stolen from a Luftwaffe pilot, because there are cotton thread loops attached on the left breast for attaching medals and awards. Only Luftwaffe Staff did that.

 

[Micawber]

Oh look, a random photo...

 

[Shanghai-Mayne]

There's another interesting thing on the lower photo. It is suggested that Eastwood’s jacket is indeed stolen from a Luftwaffe pilot, because there are cotton thread loops attached on the left breast for attaching medals and awards. Only Luftwaffe Staff did that.

yes , a pair of loops on the right chest, certainly for German Cross.

 

[Micawber]

Can't we keep the detailed jacket discussions to the appropriate sections chaps, the potentially valuable information they contain is apt to get lost if posted in random places.

Just my opinion...

 

[Enigma1938]

At your command Sir!

 

[Shanghai-Mayne]

 

[Thomas Koehle]

View attachment 103065

i got a similar jacket made for me by @Shawn Ali and his dude - well i think they did it even better coz the backpiece is one panel on mine ...

 

[Shanghai-Mayne]

i got a similar jacket made for my by @Shawn Ali and his dude - well i think they did it even better coz the backpiece is one panel on mine ...

Wow

 

[Shanghai-Mayne]

96th BG

 

[Shanghai-Mayne]

100th BG

 

[Dumpster D]

The 100th got it pretty bad on a few missions.

 

[Shanghai-Mayne]